Silicon columnar microstructures induced by an SF6/O2 plasma

An inductively coupled SF6/O2 plasma is used to form a columnar microstructure (CMS) on silicon samples cooled at very low temperature (~ −100 °C). The formation of this CMS is studied as a function of bias voltage, temperature, RF power and gas pressure. The characteristic mean diameter and mean height of the microstructure are evaluated by image processing tools from SEM micrographs. A crystallographic effect is also observed at very low temperature, which induces a needle-shaped structure. A physical mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of this CMS.